APSY-UE 20 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Random Assignment, Operational Definition, Naturalistic Observation
15 Sep 2016
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Formulate a hypothesis: the first step in the scientific inquiry is to translate a theory into something that can be tested. Theory: an explanation using an integrated set of ideas that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events. Hypothesis: a testable prediction, often implied by theory. Operational definition: a statement of the procedure used to define research variables. Disseminate findings: not worth anything if you don"t share it, experts evaluate the article. The starting point of any form of science is description. Researchers can observe and describe phenomena objectively and systematically through: Case study: in-depth investigation of one individual. Naturalistic observation: observing behaviors and they naturally unfold. Surveys & interviews: gathering info about background, beliefs, & behaviors. Generally, researchers will analyze groups of case studies, to look for patterns. Can be misleading (hard to generalize one to a few people"s experience to an entire population) Involves observing behaviors as they naturally unfold.
